Pregnant and looking for advice re maternity and meet some local mums/mums to be nearYarraville

[emilyinstkilda]

Hi all

2 questions:

 

Ive been living in Melbourne for almost 3 years now, on a 457 visa. Im 25 weeks pregnant, and realising I dont know anyone who is going to be on maternity leave at the same time as me who lives nearby. Kinda scarey not having family/old friends on hand. Anyway, if anyone else is in a similar boat, please get in touch. Im from scotland, age 31, living in Yarraville since April. Will start mat leave august 1st.

 

Other is a more general question to those on a 457 visa who have taken or plan to take maternity leave. My contract only runs until April 2015, which means if I took all of the paid maternity leave that im entitled to, from my employer (32 weeks at half pay), my maternity leave would take me very close to the contract/visa end date. Does anyone know if this matters to immigration or not? e.g. ive read somewhere, you have to earn a mimum amount per year for visa to remain valid. I hope to apply for PR under the general skilled program (my employer does not offer permanency sponsorship) once the baby is born so if granted I would no longer be tied to work anyway. Ive been waiting to speak to Immigration dept for an hour and giving up waiting today!

 

Cheers

[lebourvellec]

Congratulations on your pregnancy. Can't help you with any anyone living near by. But maybe there are bumps and baby groups, or playgroups to go to once baby is here.

 

You out would be best to speak to a registered migration agent rather than DIBP, who are not really their to give migration advice. Part of the condition of the nomination of the 457 is they must pay the minimum payment threshold. As for the contract end date - this doesn't matter to DIBP. If your visa is still valid but your employment ceases you will have 90 days to leave the country or find another sponsor. If your visa expires and you have applied for skilled migration you will go on to bridging visa a until a decision is made.

 

If you are planning on applying for PR if your eligible through skilled migration it's probably worth getting the ball rolling now - by getting your skills assessment and IELTS done if needed. Medicals can be delayed until after the baby is born and baby added to the application.

[rosiew]

After you baby is born, the maternal and child health nurse will come and see you at home (she's like a health visitor). After that visit she will see you at her clinic for measuring and guidance. She will also a New Mothers' Group of about 12 people who have just had babies in Yarraville. You get to meet them every week (often at the maternal child health centre) and it is a great way to meet people and share tips. many people make lifelong friends there.

 

These groups are only for people having their first baby so they are all in the same boat. In Yarraville most first time mothers will be full time workers without much of a local network either - so you will all be in the same boat.

[wrussell]

Hi all

2 questions:

 

Ive been living in Melbourne for almost 3 years now, on a 457 visa. Im 25 weeks pregnant, and realising I dont know anyone who is going to be on maternity leave at the same time as me who lives nearby. Kinda scarey not having family/old friends on hand. Anyway, if anyone else is in a similar boat, please get in touch. Im from scotland, age 31, living in Yarraville since April. Will start mat leave august 1st.

 

Other is a more general question to those on a 457 visa who have taken or plan to take maternity leave. My contract only runs until April 2015, which means if I took all of the paid maternity leave that im entitled to, from my employer (32 weeks at half pay), my maternity leave would take me very close to the contract/visa end date. Does anyone know if this matters to immigration or not? e.g. ive read somewhere, you have to earn a mimum amount per year for visa to remain valid. I hope to apply for PR under the general skilled program (my employer does not offer permanency sponsorship) once the baby is born so if granted I would no longer be tied to work anyway. Ive been waiting to speak to Immigration dept for an hour and giving up waiting today!

 

Cheers

 

This might be of interest:

The Tribunal has had regard to the references from the department’s website which the applicant has located and submitted, including information from the general skilled migration pre July 2011 booklet that “this period of employment must have been accrued when you were in the workplace. This includes any extended paid leave such as maternity or other family leave” and the advice that she has received from some immigration advisors that there is a general rule of thumb that paid leave, such as annual leave, sick leave and paid maternity leave would count towards work experience. The Tribunal does not consider that the applicant was actively participating in or undertaking duties directly connected with her occupation while she was on extended periods of maternity leave and it does not accept that it can be taken into account for this purpose.